There is a big difference between knowing whether God exists and whether Santa Claus exists.
The biblical prophets and writers made statements like, “The word of the Lord came to me,” “When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to him —,” and so on. There was no guesswork or doubt — the writers say God communicated direct with people with knew Him.
But who would claim such personal contact with Santa Claus? For instance, is Santa Claus tall and skinny with long black hair? Does he live at the equator and ride a motorcycle? If these details are not correct, how do we know they're not?
In contrast, the Bible writers and prophets clearly identify God for us. They tell us about Him and how to know Him personally. Jesus said, “he that hath seen me hath seen the Father” (John 14:9). Millions have found that God rewards those who earnestly seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). Would anyone rush to claim the same for Santa Claus?
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With analogies like these, it's often all in the wording. Here's my version:
"Your parents told you they'd seen and knew about santa, so you believed them even though you didn't verify his existence yourself. The prophets told you they'd seen and knew about God, so you believed them even though you didn't verify his existence yourself". The rest of the post is waffle trying to assert that these are not in fact the same thing.
The trick in the original version is that the author has switched from third to first person between describing an experience of god and an experience of santa, cutting out the middle man.
"There is a big difference between knowing whether God exists and whether Santa Claus exists."
Right. Even if Santa exists, we know he won't send us to eternal torment.
"The biblical prophets and writers made statements like, “The word of the Lord came to me,” “When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to him
,” and so on. There was no guesswork or doubt the writers say God communicated direct with people with knew Him."
First, we don't know if those persons actually existed.
Second, since God doesn't exists, we know that these prophets were either lying sacks of shit or wildly delusional. Either way, what they said is unimportant.
"But who would claim such personal contact with Santa Claus?"
Nobody, because there's nothing in it for such a claimant. Being a prophet in biblical times could be a path to respect. If one was subject to seizures, it could be a path to survival. If people believed you to be channeling God they would let you live, if they thought you were possessed by demons they would kill you.
"For instance, is Santa Claus tall and skinny with long black hair? Does he live at the equator and ride a motorcycle? If these details are not correct, how do we know they're not?"
What's your point? Santa Claus is an imaginary being. To find the "facts" about Santa Claus we can read the fairy tales and fanciful stories about Santa Claus.
"In contrast, the Bible writers and prophets clearly identify God for us. They tell us about Him and how to know Him personally. Jesus said, “he that hath seen me hath seen the Father” (John 14:9). Millions have found that God rewards those who earnestly seek Him (Hebrews 11:6)."
No, not in contrast, but in utter similarity, if wants to find the "facts" about God/Jesus, one can read the fairy tales and fanciful stories in the Bible.
Both Santa and Jesus may be loosely, ever so loosely, based on an actually person, their current stature is overwhelmingly fictional.
"Would anyone rush to claim the same for Santa Claus?"
Why would anyone rush to claim such for any character?
Millions have found that God rewards those who earnestly seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). Would anyone rush to claim the same for Santa Claus?
And yet little children around the world see evidence of his "miracles" once a year. What's your god done lately??
People in institutions around the world believe they are hearing all kinds of voices. It doesn't make it true. I'll bet you can even find a few who think it's Santa, or god, talking.
With this in mind, examine what you said. Pay close attention to:
"The biblical prophets and writers made statements like...."
"the writers say...."
"the Bible writers and prophets clearly identify...."
do you see a trend there? Can you see some possible problems with this considering human fallibility?
You will have 60 minutes to complete this exam.
/prof mode
Napoleon the Clown: There is a guy in PA who changed his name to Santa Clause. Very cool dude. My husband and I got married on Christmas and hired him to come in and pass out presents to all the people at our reception. Later he stayed and ate dinner with us (his wife too, Mrs Clause!). A nicer guy I couldn't imagine. Erm, yes it was before my deconversion and it did piss off a few people. Most people had a blast though.
Well I used to be one of his elves in a past life, so there's a big fuck you buddy! :D
Oh! Were you one of the baaaad houses Santa used to boycott for being bigoted assholes, so your parents had to give you presents instead and pretend? I bet they couldn't wait to tell you Kris didn't exist. Nothing at all to do with them being fuckwits.
When I was in my Santa-believing years, I could SWEAR I could hear Santa's rendeer on my roof, and I could SWEAR I saw Rodolph flying away. Now that I'm older, I know I was just hearing random noises, and that the red glow moving quickly across the sky was a plane.
You can convince yourself of anything if you want to believe badly enough.
WHAT, you HERETIC!!!
SANTA CLAUS DOES EXIST!
I have SEEN HIM with my own eyes!!
He spoke to me and said if I am a GOOD person I will recieve WONDERFUL GIFTS!
He laughed with me in all His GLORY and there where GIFTS from his BAG!!!
You will be KIDNAPPED by The Black Santa (as ALL HERETICS will be) and PUNISHED by working hard in the TOY MINES at the North Pole!!
YOU will SUFFER to get Santa Claus HIS rightful GIFTS, and I WILL BE GIVEN THEM GIFTS FROM SANTA CLAUS!!
You will be PUNISHED by Santa!! I PROMISE!! YOU "CHRISTIAN" HERETIC!!
In contrast, the Bible writers and prophets clearly identify God for us. They tell us about Him and how to know Him personally. Jesus said, “he that hath seen me hath seen the Father” (John 14:9).
Clement Moore told us about Santa, and in quite a bit of detail, too:
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
How do we know the Bible writers were more truthful than Moore?
Hell, I've seen Santa myself. In every mall I've ever been to between the second week of November, and December 25th. AND he's given me presents.
Either of those two would, by itself, be better evidence than there is for god.
"There is a big difference between knowing whether God exists and whether Santa Claus exists.
Correct. There really was a bishop named Nicholas who got made a saint.
That's because you had been, well, reasonably good all year, Viking!
Now, what's this about me not existing?
Is God tall and skinny with long black hair? Does he live at the equator and ride a motorcycle? If these details are not correct, how do we know they're not?
Also... was Saint Nicholas not a real person? And, therefore, is your argument not completely screwed?
"Tell me, O muse, of that ingenious hero who traveled far and wide after he had sacked the famous town of Troy. Many cities did he visit, and many were the nations with whose manners and customs he was acquainted; moreover he suffered much by sea while trying to save his own life and bring his men safely home; but do what he might he could not save his men, for they perished through their own sheer folly in eating the cattle of the Sun-god Hyperion; so the god prevented them from ever reaching home. Tell me, too, about all these things, O daughter of Jove, from whatsoever source you may know them." - Homer, the Odyssey, Book I
As you see, the Odyssey was born of divine inspiration (and it was a very common introduction in Greek, Hellenistic and Roman literature), the Muses and Greek Mythology are true, and the persecution of Christians was the right thing to do because they were provoking the wrath of the Gods.
I have personally been to Lapland and met Santa, at his workshop. I've seen, with my own eyes, the reindeer.
Besides, if there is no Santa, then who ate the mince pie ?
The nearest I've been to meeting God is a creepy bloke in a dress telling me to ignore the guy behind the curtain.
Confused?
So were we! You can find all of this, and more, on Fundies Say the Darndest Things!
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